Dubai Tour

(Photos: ©TDWSport/Getty Images)

Race: Dubai Tour, Stage 1

Start/Finish: Dubai/Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Distance: 167 kilometers

Dubai, UAE —Team Novo Nordisk’s Andrea Peron sprinted to a top 10 finish while teammate Charles Planet featured in the day’s main breakaway on the opening stage of the Dubai Tour.

The 167-kilometer race began with a flurry of attacks and initially three riders went clear. When Daniel Teklehaimanot (Cofidis, Solutions Credits) started to bridge up to the escapees, Planet jumped on his wheel. It took nearly eight kilometers of chasing, but they eventually reached the front group rounding out the breakaway to five riders. They built a maximum gap of 4:10.

Heading towards the finish in front of Atlantis, The Palm, the breakaway splintered and only Planet and Andy Fenn (Aqua Blue) stayed off the front. Fenn put in an attack on Planet with 16 kilometers to go and set off alone. He was caught with nine kilometers remaining.

Soon after he was caught, a crash took down nearly a dozen riders at the front of the peloton. All of Team Novo Nordisk riders made it out unscathed. In the sprint finish, Dylan Groenewegen (Team LottoNL-Jumbo) took the wine with Peron finishing ninth.

Andrea Peron

“I was confident before today and now I know I have the form. I had a good winter and came into this race feeling strong again; I felt like how I used to race. I hope to build on this result throughout the race.”

Team Novo Nordisk, the world’s first all-diabetes pro cycling team, continues racing at the Dubai Tour on Wednesday with Stage 3. The 190-kilometer stage begins at the Skydive Dubai and features two intermediate sprints before finishing at Ras Al Khaimah.

Recap:

Stage 1: Rider CGM Data^*

Chris Williams: 3:54:10 (2:35 behind the stage winner)

Results:

1. GROENEWEGEN Dylan Groenewegen (Team LottoNL-Jumbo): 3:51:35
2. Magnus Cort Nielsen (Astana Pro Team): “
3. Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors): “
4. Alexander Kristoff (UAE-Team Emirates): “
5. Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits): “
6. Jacob Hennessy (Mitchelton – BikeExchange): “
7. Eric Young (Rally Cycling): “
8. Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Merida Pro Cycling Team): “
9. Andrea Peron: “
10. Loïc Vliegen (BMC Racing Team): “

Gallery:

(Photos: ©TDWSport/Getty Images)

*This image is solely for informational purposes and is not intended as medical advice. It is not a substitute for the advice of a health care professional. If you have diabetes or suspect having any health problems, you should consult a qualified health care professional.

(Photos: ©TDWSport/Getty Images)

Race: Dubai Tour, Stage 2

Start/Finish: Dubai/Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates

Distance: 190 kilometers

Ras Al Khaimah, UAE —Charles Planet put Team Novo Nordisk’s Changing Diabetes jersey on display for the second consecutive day when he starred in the main breakaway on Stage 2 of the Dubai Tour. Team Novo Nordisk ranks second overall in the team classification competition.

Similar to Stage 1, the 190-kilometer stage began directly with attacks. Initially, three riders escaped and several Team Novo Nordisk riders launched sequential counterattacks. It was Planet’s move that stuck, and he successfully bridged up to the break, which eventually grew to six riders.

The break quickly earned a maximum gap of 6:40. Through both the first and second intermediate sprints, Planet finished second. He now sits second overall in the Intermediate Sprints Jersey classification behind Nathan Van Hooydonck (BMC Racing Team).

Inside the final 50 kilometers, Planet launched an attack on his fellow breakaway riders and only two riders were able to follow. The trio stayed together until the chasing peloton swept them up with nine km remaining.

In the sprint finish, Viviani (Quick-Step Floors) took the win with Team Novo Nordisk’s Mehdi Benhamouda finishing as the team’s best-placed rider in 12^th place.

Charles Planet

“After 150 km, I could see the other riders in the breakaway were tired, so I went full gas to see who wanted to race until the end. I knew it would be a bunch sprint, but I figured it was worth pushing it. If you never try, you never win.”

Vassili Davidenko

“Our strategy was to put someone in the breakaway. We weren’t planning on putting Charles up there because we wanted him to recover after yesterday’s amazing performance but a race is a race. He did a great job and spent all day fighting in the breakaway.

We would have liked to be in the top 10, but it isn’t easy; we are racing against the best sprinters in the world. What is important is to see how much the team has improved since last year and it is a good sign.”

Team Novo Nordisk, the world’s first all-diabetes pro cycling team, continues racing at the Dubai Tour on Thursday with Stage 3. The 180-kilometer stage begins at Skydive Dubai and features two intermediate sprints before finishing at Fujairah.

Stage 2: Rider CGM Data^*

Quentin Valognes: 4:35:13 (0:42 behind the stage winner)

Results:

1) Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors): 4:34:31

2) Dylan Groenewegen (Team LottoNL-Jumbo): ”

3) Riccardo Minali (Astana Pro Team): ”

12) Mehdi Benhamouda: “

Gallery:

(Photos: ©TDWSport/Getty Images)

*This image is solely for informational purposes and is not intended as medical advice. It is not a substitute for the advice of a health care professional. If you have diabetes or suspect having any health problems, you should consult a qualified health care professional.

(Photos: ©TDWSport/Getty Images)

Race: Dubai Tour, Stage 3

Start/Finish: Dubai/Fujairah, United Arab Emirates

Distance: 180 kilometers

Fujairah, UAE —For the third consecutive day, Team Novo Nordisk put a rider in the day’s main breakaway a the Dubai Tour. For Stage 3, it was neo-pro Quentin Valognes’s turn to ride off the front.

When Loic Vliegen (BMC Racing Team) attacked at the start of the 180-kilometer race, Valognes saw an opportunity and quickly grabbed his wheel. They were soon joined by two additional riders and earned a maximum gap of 6:40”. Valognes was second through both intermediate sprints.

As the race reached the feed zone, the winds shifted causing the peloton to splinter. Quick-Step Floors took advantage of the situation and increased the pace, which soon reeled in the breakaway.

While fighting through the crosswinds, Brian Kamstra and the rider ahead of him crossed wheels, which caused the Dutchman to crash. He sustained no injuries, just road rash. He quickly changed bikes and fought back to the peloton.

As the race climbed up through the Hajar Mountains, Tom Bohli (BMC Racing Team) animated the race by making a late race attack but the sprinter’s teams quickly stopped him.

The race finished in a bunch sprint with Mark Cavendish (Team Dimension Data) taking the win while Andrea Peron finished as Team Novo Nordisk’s best-placed rider in 15^th position.

Quentin Valognes

“It wasn’t the plan for me to get into the breakaway today but when I saw Vliegen go, I knew I had to jump on his wheel but I expected for the peloton to chase us down. It was my first time that I’ve been off the front in a breakaway since moving up to the pro team. It was good to be in the break again after Charles’ two days; I like everyone knowing that we are here. Cycling is a game and we always have to be ready to play.”

Vassili Davidenko

“Quentin was in the break from the beginning of the stage. It was good experience for him. He typically is Andrea’s last guy in the end for the sprint, and he did a great job in the break going for intermediate points.

Otherwise, it was a chaotic stage and the main group was split up into pieces around the field zone. There were crosswinds and then the split. Brian went down but he’s okay and made it back to the main group. In the end, the race came all back together. In the finish, Andrea and the team did an amazing job in the sprint.”

Team Novo Nordisk, the world’s first all-diabetes pro cycling team, continues racing at the Dubai Tour on Friday with Stage 4. The 172-kilometer stage is the race’s Queen stage. It begins at Skydive Dubai and features two intermediate sprints before a step finish up Hatta Dam with gradients topping out at 17 percent.

Stage 3: Rider CGM Data^*

Chris Williams: 3:53:46 (same time as the stage winner)

Gallery:

Results: 

1^st: Mark Cavendish (Team Dimension Data): 3:53:46

2^nd: Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis, Solutions Credits): same time as Cavendish

3^rd: Marcel Kittel (Team Katusha Alpecin): same time as Cavendish

15th: Andrea Peron: same time as Cavendish

(Photos: ©TDWSport/Getty Images)

*This image is solely for informational purposes and is not intended as medical advice. It is not a substitute for the advice of a health care professional. If you have diabetes or suspect having any health problems, you should consult a qualified health care professional.

(Photos: ©TDWSport/Getty Images)

Race: Dubai Tour, Stage 4

Start/Finish: Dubai/Hatta Dam, United Arab Emirates

Distance: 172 kilometers

Hatta Dam, UAE —Friday’s 172-kilometer race served as the Dubai Tour’s queen stage and it saw Team Novo Nordisk’s Chris Williams feature in the day’s main breakaway.

Immediately from the Stage 4 start, Williams and two other riders attacked. Quickly three riders joined them. The six-man group earned a maximum gap of 6:30.

Williams took top honors through the first intermediate sprint and was runner-up through the second intermediate sprint. Following the second sprint, Williams and another rider dropped back to the peloton in anticipation of the climb up Hatta Dam.

Eventually, only Brandon McNulty (Rally Cycling) remained off the front from the initial breakaway. Heading into the final kilometer, it appeared the American would pull off an upset, but a reduced chase group caught him in the final 150 meters.

Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Merida) took the win while Charles Planet finished in that elite front group.

Charles Planet

“Today was good for my confidence; it felt good to be there with the best guys in this race. After two days in the breakaway and 300 kilometers off the front, I didn’t know what to expect out of my legs. My teammates helped me all the way to the climb. My legs felt good and I moved up to the first group. I finished in the top 20, but I know I can do better. I did learn some valuable lessons today, specifically about positioning in the crucial moments on the climb.”

Team Novo Nordisk, the world’s first all-diabetes pro cycling team, wraps up racing at the Dubai Tour on Saturday with Stage 5. The final 132-kilometer stage begins at Skydive Dubai and features two intermediate sprints before a sprint finish at City Walk. Team Novo Nordisk’s Planet, Williams and Quentin Valognes are all still in contention to win the intermediate sprint jersey.

Stage 4: Rider CGM Data^*

Chris Williams: 3:54:53 (Chris spent 134km of the 172-km queen stage in the breakaway)

Gallery:

Results: 

1^st: Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Merida): 3:40:50

2^nd: Magnus Cort Nielsen (Astana Pro Team): same time as Colbrelli

3^rd: Timo Roosen (Team LottoNL-Jumbo): same time as Colbrelli

19th: Charles Planet: same time as Colbrelli

(Photos: ©TDWSport/Getty Images)

*This image is solely for informational purposes and is not intended as medical advice. It is not a substitute for the advice of a health care professional. If you have diabetes or suspect having any health problems, you should consult a qualified health care professional.

(Photos: ©TDWSport/Getty Images)

Race: Dubai Tour, Stage 5

Start/Finish: Dubai/Dubai United Arab Emirates

Distance: 132 kilometers

Dubai, UAE — An impressive ride in the breakaway by Team Novo Nordisk’s Quentin Valognes saw the young Frenchman secure the overall UAE Intermediate Sprint Classification jersey while teammate Andrea Peron sprinted to ninth on the final stage of the Dubai Tour.

Three Team Novo Nordisk riders – Valognes, Chris Williams and Charles Planet – entered Stage 5 still in contention for the jersey. From the start of Saturday’s 132-kilometer race, Team Novo Nordisk went on the attack and individually nearly the entire squad was off the front of the peloton trying to make the breakaway.

As Williams and Peron attempted to escape, they went through a disorganized left-hand turn that caused Williams to crash. Unfortunately, he was unable to resume racing.

The crash reshuffled the race and Valognes made it off the front with three other riders and quickly earned a gap. The 21-year-old neo-pro needed seven points to win the intermediate sprint jersey.

Through the first intermediate sprint, he was second, which meant he must win the final sprint. He timed his sprint perfectly and easily won the sprint. Soon the breakaway splintered and Valognes was swept up by the chasing peloton.

A crash in the final corner of the race created chaos within the sprinting peloton, but Peron maintained his line and was able to sprint for ninth place. Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors) won the stage and the overall Dubai Tour.

Quentin Valognes

“The team spirit since Stage 1 has been unbelievable. We’ve been in every single breakaway and aggressive on every single stage. Our mission is to inspire, educate and empower people affected by diabetes. It wasn’t just my performance; it was the performance of the whole team that shows we are changing diabetes.”

Team Novo Nordisk CEO and Co-Founder Phil Southerland

“I’m so proud of what the team did today because it was every single rider on the team attacking and fighting and finally Quentin got in the breakaway. He took some sprints, earned the jersey and helped us change diabetes for the world. A very proud day for Team Novo Nordisk, a great week for us in Dubai and an amazing way to show the world what is possible with diabetes.”

Team Novo Nordisk, the world’s first all-diabetes pro cycling team, returns to racing on February 21^st for the five-day Abu Dhabi Tour.

Medical Update – Chris Williams

“X-rays confirmed a fracture to his right angle. We are waiting for a follow-up evaluation to determine if it will require surgery. Additionally, he required stitches on his upper right leg. The plan is for him to be transferred home tomorrow and then we will re-evaluate him,” explained Team Novo Nordisk Doctor Peter Lagrou.

Gallery:

Results: 

1^st: Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors): 3:05:28

2^nd: Marco Haller (Katusha-Alpecin): same time as Viviani

3^rd: Adam Blythe (Aqua Blue Sport): same time as Viviani

9th: Andrea Peron: same time as Viviani

(Photos: ©TDWSport/Getty Images)

*This image is solely for informational purposes and is not intended as medical advice. It is not a substitute for the advice of a health care professional. If you have diabetes or suspect having any health problems, you should consult a qualified health care professional.